Operation of the service
The Mackay Children’s Contact Service assists families who have been through separation or divorce and are having difficulty managing their parenting arrangements. We offer supervised contact visits and changeovers for children, separated parents and extended family.
Please refer to the Home page for information about the operation of our service, referrals, the initial interview process, and opening hours. Please refer to the Services page for information about our specific services and fees.
Funding
The Mackay Children’s Contact Service is funded by the Australian Government Department of Social Services; and the Attorney General’s Department.
History of the service
The Mackay Children’s Contact Service Inc has been providing a valuable service to the Mackay community since 1997.
The idea for a Contact Service in Mackay began with a public meeting in September 1994. At that time there was a growing awareness that when couples separated and there was family violence or high levels of conflict between parents, children were continually caught in the middle.
The Service commenced operation in April 1997 with a grant from the Gambling Community Benefit Fund. This enabled the Service to operate on a Friday and Sunday afternoon for two hours to facilitate the changeover of children between separated parents. At that time the service operated from the George Street Neighborhood Centre premises.
In 2000, the Mackay Children’s Contact Service was one of 25 services chosen nationally to receive ongoing funding from The Australian Government Attorney-General’s Department.
The Service then opened Wednesday to Sunday each week for facilitated changeovers and supervised contact visits. In 2002, the move was made to a purpose-built building in Boddington Street.
Principles of the service
Children have the right to know and be cared for by both parents.
Children have the right to be safe and feel safe.
To ensure the confidentiality of all parties.
To be accessible to anyone needing this service.
To offer a safe, pleasant environment for our families.
To remain independent from all parties.
To provide suitable trained staff for each changeover.
To provide an efficient, effective and appropriate service.
